Pole display apparatus



Oct. 10, 1961 M. A. WOLF 3,003,646

I POLE DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. M035 4. 17oz;

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Oct. 10, 1961 Filed Oct. 25, 1960 M. A. WOLF POLE DISPLAY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 H I I W i E] 3o L I I :53! h .4 25 Q I I INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofiice 3,003,646 Patented Oct. 10, 1961 3,003,646 POLE DISPLAY APPARATUS Morris A. Wolf, 1545 N. Laurel Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Oct. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 64,894 9 Claims. (Cl. 211-107) The present invention relates generally to apparatus for displaying merchandise for sale and more particularly to apparatus for supporting a display of merchandise from a vertical pole.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved collar for clamping engagement with a vertical display pole, whereby garment hanger rods, display tables, hooks, frames, decor rods, or other similar apparatus used in merchandising can be supported from the display pole.

Another important object or" the invention is to provide a display collar of this type that can be attached to and removed from the pole before or after the display pole is placed in vertically fixed position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an attachment collar for vertical display poles onto which a variety of display hardware can be mounted, in such manner as to allow ready changing of the display hardware, or additions thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide merchandise display apparatus comprising a pole attachment collar having both rigidly fixed and swingable display hardware mounted thereon and also to provide a collar of this type onto which a wide variety of display hardware can be either fixedly or swingedly mounted.

My invention also has for an object the provision of an extremely simplified and relatively inexpensive attachment collar for display poles comprising a pair of identical clamping members that are adapted for the support of either fixed r swingable display hardware.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a vertical display pole assembly incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, through an assembly of a collar and 'a pair of items of display hardware embodying the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2, particularly illustrating the manner of support of an item of display hardware on the attachment collar;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, showing a detail of construction of a display table adapted for mounting on an at-' tachment collar;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the pivotal hanger rod, a portion of which is shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2 showing interior details of construction of the attachment collar;

FIGURE 7 is a partial elevational view of one of the two identical clamping members; and

FIGURE 8 is a collar half is made.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 is illustrative of the very great flexibility of arrangement of articles oflered for sale which is possible with a display pole incorporating my invention. A pole 10 is shown which is, per se, conventional, being supported in upright position by a floor-engaging bearing 11 connected to its lower end and by another similar bearing (not' shown) in engagement with the ceiling of the room in which the pole 10 is mounted. A pair of identical pole plan View of a blank from which a attachment collars, designated generally at 12 and 13, are secured to the pole 10 at vertically spaced apart positions. The upper collar 12 pivotally supports one end of a dog leg hanger 14 whose outer end has a small round display shelf 15 secured thereto. The upper collar 12 also supports a garment hangrod 16, but unlike the dog leg hanger 14, the hangrod is rigidly secured in horizontally extending position to the collar. The lower collar 13 supports a display table 17 coaxially with the pole 10. A variety of items of haberdashery are displayed on the shelf of the dog leg hanger 14, the hangrod 16 and the table 17. The endless variety of decorative arrangements possible will be apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly when it is borne in mind that the collars 12 and 13 are vertically adjustable on the pole 10 and can support several of the dog leg hangers 14, or a pair of the hang rods 16, or one table 17.

More specifically, each of the attachment collars comprises a pair of identical members 20 that are removably held in assembled relationship for clamping engage merit around the display pole 10 by a pair of screws 21. Each member 20 is one diametral half of the collar assembly and each of the identical members is preferably made from a blank 22 of sheet metal, such as in shown in FIGURE 8.

The blank 22 has a pair of flange portions 23 and 24 interconnected by a pair of rectangular tab portions 25 and 26. Each of the flange portions 23 and 24 generally has the configuration of a semi-annular disc, having a curved outer edge 27 on a radius of curvature concentrio with the radius of curvature of inner edge portions 28. The opposite ends of each flange portion 23 and 24 are defined by diametrally disposed bending lines 29, pairs of which define opposite sides of the tabs 25 and 26. The flange portions 23 and 24 are bent towards one another along the bending lines 29 to positions normal to the common plane of the tabs 25 and 26 and, thereafter, are disposed in superposed spaced-apart parallel relationship.

The inner edge portions 28 of the flange portion 24 are separated by a central tab portion 30 of substantially rectangular configuration. The central tab 30 is struck out of the material of the flange portion 24 by severing the material of the blank 22 along a pair of parallel lines 31 that extend inwardly of the blank from opposite ends of a bending line 32. The central tab 30 is outstruck from the material of the flange portion 24 in the direction of the parallel flange portion 23. The latter flange portion, in order to receive the free end of the central tab 30, is formed with a rectangular notch 33 opening into the inner edge of the flange portion 23 between the pair of inner edge portions 28. As is shown in FIGURE 6, when the member 20 is fully formed, the edge of the central tab 30 is disposed substantially flush with the outer surface of the flange portion 23.

For receiving the assembly screws 21, each member 20 has a hole 34 punched in the center of the tab 25 and a hole 35 punched in the center of the tab 26. When a pair of the members 20 abut together, the smaller hole 34 of one member is brought into aligm-nent with the larger hole 35 of the other member. The smaller hole 34 of each member is tapped to receive the threads of one of the fasteners 21 but the larger hole 35 is preferably left untapped. Refer-ring to FIGURE 2, which shows a pair of members 20 in assembled relationship, clamped on defined by the clamping edges 23 of the flanges 3 by the edges 28 irrespective of engagement of the pairs of tabs 25 and 26 of the two members 20. The collar can thus be firmly mounted on the pole 19 whether or not the pole 'or the collar actually conform to their nominal sizes and this arrangement avoids the necessity holding the diameters of the pole or collar to close tolerances. v

The hangrod 16 is preferably rigidly mounted in place by the arrangement shown on 6. it will be noted that the central tab 39 is formed with a square hole 37 to receive a square shank portion 36 of a an" :ge bolt 39, which is thus keyed against rotation. T 39 is positioned radially outwardly of the providesufiicient clearance space between the radially display pole it) for the head of the carriage bolt I The hangrod 16 is preferably a tubular member whose inner end fixedly contains a nut to threadedly receive the carriage bolt 3?. The hangrod has an outer diametercorrepsonding to the distance between re opposite outer races of the flanges 23 and 24 of the Thus, when the hangrod is rotated for screwing the nut 4%) onto the protruding end of the carriage bolt 39, diametrically opposite edge portions of the rad lly inner end of the hangrod come into firm abutment with the outer edges 27 of the flanges 23 and 2d of one of the members 26. These diametrically opposite points of contact are disposed in afvertical plane and therefore the hangrod 16 is Very rigidly and firmly supported in horizontally extending position, protruding radially outwardly of the display pole 1%.

For supporting the dog leg hanger Ltd, the flange portions 23 and 2-:- are each formed with a plurality of circularly spaced-apart openings 4-1. When the blank 2c is formed to bring the flanges 23 and 24 into parallel superposed relationship, each of the openings 41 comes into coaxial alignment with an openingdl of the other flange. The hanger 14 has a dog leg 42 which is slidably insertable through a pair of aligned openings 41 to pivotally support the hanger 14 in horizontally extending position on the display pole 13. To yieldably retain a dog leg hanger 3.4 in radially disposed position relative to the display pole, each flange also has smaller openings 43, one for each of the larger openings 41 and disposed radially outwardly from an opening 41. immediately adjacent the dog leg 42 the hanger 14 mounts a. latching ball 44, spaced from the axis of the dog leg 42 adistance corresponding to the radial spacingbetween adjacent openings 41 and 43. The latching ball is of appreciably larger diameter than the diameter of the openings 43 and therefore can be cammed into and out of latching engagement with the openings 23. If desired, the outer end of a dog leg hanger 14- may be provided with an upwardly turned leg 45 for threaded engagement with a suitable bushing (not shown) in a piece of display hardware such as the shelf 15.

It will be noted that an assembled pairof the members provide an even unobstructed horizontal surface when mounted on a display pole 10. This permits the mounting of members like the display table 17 on to'p'of the attachment collar. Thus, the table 17 comprises a pair of semi-circular discs 47, each of which has a pair of brackets 48 disposed along and'secured by screws to the diametral edge of the disc, but on opposite sides of a central semicircular opening formed in the center of the diametral edge. The two discs 47 can thus be brought together along their diametral edges and around the display pole 10 'to be secured together by means of fasteners 49 passing through the brackets 48. The assembled table 17 can then be lowered into place on top of antattachment collar.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the specific details of construction hercinabove set forth but only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A display support collar for mounting on a display 4 pole, comprising: a pair of members each of which has a pair of parallel flanges in spaced superposed relationship and each of which is matingly engageable with substantially one-half the periphery of a pole disposed normally to the planes of said flanges whereby said pole is substantially completely surrounded by said pair of membet fastener means to clamp said pair of members together and onto said pole; and means on each of said members for connection with a display support member.

2. A display support collar for a; display pole, comprising: a pair of identical members each of which has a pair of co-planar spaced-apart tabs and a pair of flanges held in superposed spaced-apart parallel relationship by said tabs, said superposed flanges in the space between said tabs having edge portions shaped for receiving a portion of the perip rery of a display pole, said flanges being disposed normally to said pole when said pole is received in said edge portions; removable fastener means for interconnecting the pair of tabs of one of said members to the pair of tabs of the other of said members to clamp said pole between confronting shaped edge portions of said flanges of said pair of members; and means on each of said members to support a display support arm in parallel relationship to said flanges.

3. A display support collar, comprising: a pair of identical members each of which has a pair of superposed parallel flanges of generally semi-circular configuration, said semi-circular flanges being held in spaced apart relationship by a pair of co-planar tabs disposed radially of the center of said flanges on diametrically opposite sides of the semi-circular openings'of the inner edges of said flanges; removable fastener means for interconnecting the pair of tabs of one of said members in confronting relationship to the pair of tabs of the other of said members to clamp said pole between said inner edges of said flanges of said pair of members; and means on each of said members for receiving and supporting an end of an arm on which to supporta display.

4. Display apparatus as set forth in claim 3. in which said last-mentioned means comprises a plurality of pairs of aligned openings formed through the pairs of flanges of each of said members and in which a hangerarm having a dog leg is provided for mounting on oneof said.

of said aligned openings to be pivotally supported by said openings, said arm and flanges having means. to yieldably retain said arm in radially disposed position relative to said flanges.

5. Display apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said last-mentioned means comprises an integral portion on at least one of said members, extending axially of said semi-circular flanges in the space between said flanges and adapted to support one end of a fastener means in radially extending position in the space between said flanges, and in which an elongated member is provided that is adapted at one end for coaxial securement to said last-mentioned fastener means with said one end of said elongated member in abutment with the outer edges of said semi-circular flanges.

6. Display apparatus, comprising a pair of identical members each of which has a pair of superposed parallel flanges, each of said flanges being of a generally semi-circular configuration having concentric radially spaced-apart inner and outer substantially semi-circular edges, said flanges being held in spaced-apart relationship by a pair of co-planar tabs disposed radially of the axis of the semi-circular inner edges of said flanges and formed integrally with diametrically extending opposite ends of said pair of flanges; and a pair of screws for removably interconnecting said tabs of one ofsaid members to the tabs of the other of said members for clamping a display pole between said inner edges of saidflanges.

7. Display apparatus as set forth in claim in which one of said flanges of each member has an integral center tab formed at the midportion of its inner edge and out- 5 struck therefrom to extend axially of said inner edge towards the other flange, said other flange, at the midportion of its inner edge, having a notch to receive the end of said center tab in substantially flush relationship to the outer surface of said other flange, and which said center tab has one end of a bolt keyed thereto, said bolt having its outer end extending between said flanges and beyond the outer edges of said flanges, said outer end of said bolt coanially threadedly receiving one end of a display arm mounted on said bolt, said one end of display arm engaging the outer edges of said flanges.

8. Display apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said members have a plurality of pairs of aligned holes in said pair of flanges, and in which a hanger arm having a dog leg has said dog leg pivotally received in one of said pairs of holes whereby said hanger arm is disposed parallel to said flanges, said hanger arm, immediately adjacent said dog leg, having a latching ball slidable on the outer surlace of one of said flanges, said flanges having a plurality of openings, one for each of said aligned bores, adapted for latching engagements with said ball of said hanger arm when said hanger arm is positioned radially or" said flanges.

9. Display apparatus, comprising: a pair of identical members each of which has a pair of superposed parallel flanges, each of said flanges being of a generally semicircular configuration having concentric radially spacedapart inner and outer substantially semi-circular edges, said flanges being held in spaced apart relationship by a pair of co-planar tabs disposed radially of the axis of the semi-circular inner edges of said flanges, said tabs being formed integrally with diametrically extending opposite ends of said pair of flanges, one of said flanges having an integral center tab formed at the midportion of its inner edge and outstruck therefrom, in parallel relationship to said pair of tabs, to extend axially of said inner edge towards the other flanges, said other flange, at the midportion of its inner edge, having a notch to receive the end of said center tab in substantially flush relationship to the outer surface of said other flange, said center tab being oflset radially outwardly beyond the circumference of the inner edges of said flanges to provide a clearance for the head of a bolt between said center tab and a pole abutting said inner edges of said flanges; a pair of screws for removably securing said pair of tabs of one of said members to the pair of tabs of the other of said members for clamping a display pole between said inner edges of said flanges; and a bolt extending radially in the space between said flanges of one of said members with the head of said bolt positioned on the radially inner side of said center tab, a stem of said bolt extending through an opening in said center tab and being keyed to said opening of said center tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 221,086 Middleton Oct. 28, 1879 754,976 Dolbier Mar. 22, 1904 949,066 Fowler Feb. 15, 1910 

